On Sunday, the leader of Russia’s Orthodox Church urged citizens to rally behind the government as Moscow continues its military operation in Ukraine.
Patriarch Kirill has previously spoken out in support of Moscow’s activities in Ukraine, seeing the conflict as a bulwark against a decadent Western liberal culture.
‘Let the Lord help us unify during this terrible moment for our Fatherland, particularly around the authorities,’ Kirill, 75, said during a sermon in Moscow, according to the Interfax news agency.
‘May the authorities be filled with responsibility for their people, humility, and a willingness to serve them even if it means their lives,’ the patriarch, a close supporter of President Vladimir Putin, added.
The patriarch’s backing for Russia’s military action, which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of soldiers and civilians in Ukraine, has enraged some Orthodox Christians at home and in churches affiliated with the Moscow Patriarchate overseas.
He added on Sunday that once the people rallies behind the authorities, ‘there will be genuine solidarity and the ability to combat external and domestic foes…’
On February 24, Russia dispatched tens of thousands of troops to Ukraine in what it described as a ‘special operation’ aimed at degrading its southern neighbor’s military capabilities and rooting out ‘dangerous nationalists.’
Ukraine’s soldiers have resisted, and the West has slapped Russia with sweeping sanctions in an attempt to force it to remove its men.
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